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Monday, June 24, 2013

The Coming Fire, a Test For Everyone

The subject of fire in the Bible is an interesting one.  This summer proves to be a time of many wildfires because of dry conditions in the United States. These fires are different than the eternal fire that we are told of in the bible.  What does Biblical fire have to do with us? Besides eternal fire there is a second type of fire John the Baptist tells us about. He says that Jesus will bring a baptism of fire when he comes. A third type of fire Paul tells us about is in regards to our works. Our works will be tried and burned with fire. Lastly there is the lake of fire the Apostle John tells us of.  The overall warning, regarding fire, is to avoid eternal fire that torments forever. This should be our message to others who may not know that there is eternal fire.

Starting with the things John the Baptist said, it was a clear teaching that fire would be a tool to burn up the unnecessary things in life.  John reminds me of a crabby uncle who speaks the same message at every gathering and gets frustrated because people don’t listen.  But clearly, as we will see, fire is a means to extinguish things that we should realize are a distraction in our lives. It is also the disposal method of evil at the end of the world.

Matt 3:1-12 IN THOSE days there appeared John the Baptist, preaching in the Wilderness (Desert) of Judea 2 And saying, Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 This is he who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness (shouting in the desert), Prepare the road for the Lord, make His highways straight (level, direct). [Isa 40:3.] 4 This same John's garments were made of camel's hair, and he wore a leather girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. [Lev 11:22; 2 Kings 1:8; Zech 13:4.] 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the country round about the Jordan went out to him; 6 And they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee and escape from the wrath and indignation [of God against disobedience] that is coming? 8 Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart]; 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our forefather; for I tell you, God is able to raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones! 10 And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store His wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out. AMP

The account of John’s preaching varies in Luke, so that it is worth noting the extra content.

Luke 3:3-18 And he went into all the country round about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance (of hearty amending of their ways, with abhorrence of past wrongdoing) unto the forgiveness of sin. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness [shouting in the desert]: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His beaten paths straight. 5 Every valley and ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be leveled; and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough roads shall be made smooth; 6 And all mankind shall see (behold and understand and at last acknowledge) the salvation of God (the deliverance from eternal death decreed by God). [Isa 40:3-5.] 7 So he said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, You offspring of vipers! Who secretly warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Bear fruits that are deserving and consistent with [your] repentance [that is, conduct worthy of a heart changed, a heart abhorring sin]. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up descendants for Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. 10 And the multitudes asked him, Then what shall we do? 11 And he replied to them, He who has two tunics (undergarments), let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do it the same way. 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do? 13 And he said to them, Exact and collect no more than the fixed amount appointed you. 14 Those serving as soldiers also asked him, And we, what shall we do? And he replied to them, Never demand or enforce by terrifying people or by accusing wrongfully, and always be satisfied with your rations (supplies) and with your allowance (wages). 15 As the people were in suspense and waiting expectantly, and everybody reasoned and questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether he perhaps might be the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 16 John answered them all by saying, I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of Whose sandals I am not fit to unfasten. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing shovel (fork) is in His hand to thoroughly clear and cleanse His [threshing] floor and to gather the wheat and store it in His granary, but the chaff He will burn with fire that cannot be extinguished. 18 So with many other [various] appeals and admonitions he preached the good news (the Gospel) to the people. AMP

Clearly, there are some major points in both sections.  First, we see that John’s message is a warning for people to be able to flee the coming wrath.  And as we saw last week, where there will be people trying to get saved at the last minute to avoid being on the outside of the door of heaven, there are people who will to go through the motions of repentance without the true heart of repentance.  John’s message is that all of mankind will acknowledge the salvation of God, so get right with God now.  If all of mankind will see God’s salvation, whether they are in the eternal life side or the wrath side of the end, then it hardly matters what your family lineage is, yet people relied on their ancestors as a way of promoting their importance.   People would say that they were set apart or important because Abraham was their father.  What they were claiming was genealogy through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  They were dismissing the fact that Abraham had seven other sons.  They were magnifying their importance and disregarding all other people groups, but John says this is ignorant.  God can raise up descendants for Abraham from rocks, and as we know from Paul’s writings, anyone who believes, like Abraham, is of Abraham, irrespective of genealogy.  John then goes on about the ax being laid to the root of the trees.  Again irrespective of genealogy, anyone can be cut down if they are not bearing good fruit.  Fire devours the unproductive trees. 

John gives further instructions, as written in Luke, saying if someone has more than they need, to share or give to those who do not have; and he also notes the actions of tax collectors.  Both accounts record that Jesus is coming with a baptism of the Hoy Spirit and fire and that his rake is in his hand.  The baptism of fire is a new thing to think through and is only mentioned in these two places in the Bible. Jesus has the rake, pitchfork, and is separating the wheat from the chaff.  Whatever is not wheat is burned in the fire.  That sounds harsh, because John clearly is telling people that this is not just a “say the magic words” kind of thing, but a true heart change.  That means that we have to want to make the change and follow through with our actions to be counted among the wheat and then hidden in the storehouse, avoiding the fire.

Matthew points out the people that John was most upset with were the Pharisees and Sadducees.  Why them? The Pharisees were people who separated themselves from other Hebrews.  Pharisee means separated one.  The Sadducees were a higher class of priests and aristocracy, while the Pharisees were lay people.  However after the Temple was destroyed in 79AD, the Sadducees, who practiced their rituals in the temple, faded away; the Pharisees continued on and morphed into our contemporary Judaism today.  Both groups had varying beliefs, but technically both were “off-shoots” of the Mosaic Law. What made John and Jesus both frustrated with these groups is that they put people in bondage to their ideas.  This is why John is angry that they came to be baptized, they weren’t changing their hearts, and they were just taking a few actions to look like they were agreeing with John. 

John sounds like he would have rather seen the Pharisees and Sadducees suffer the fires of hell than get saved. What we don’t understand in modern times, because of our plethora of religions worldwide, is that their groups were manmade, just like all religions are.  Rituals and practices have an appearance of deep spirituality, but eventually become the focus themselves, rather than keeping Jesus as the focus.  Something interesting to study is what we term cults. Cults generally are an offshoot of a religion that people on the outside don’t like.  Once in a while a cult becomes a mainstream religion.  Sometimes cults are derived from fundamental religious practice while the mainstream group shifted ideals, such as polygamy in Mormonism.  In 1904, Utah could receive statehood benefits if the Mormon belief system abolished polygamy, which sent polygamist groups underground and into different places. John, in speaking of what Jesus was going to do, clearly stated that the ax was at the root of the tree.  Therefore everyone is in danger of fire, no matter what group we are with.

Matt 13:36-51 Then He left the throngs and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him saying, Explain to us the parable of the darnel in the field. 37 He answered, He Who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed means the children of the kingdom; the darnel is the children of the evil one, 39 And the enemy who sowed it is the devil. The harvest is the close and consummation of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the darnel (weeds resembling wheat) is gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of offense [persons by whom others are drawn into error or sin] and all who do iniquity and act wickedly, 42 And will cast them into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and wailing and grinding of teeth. 43 Then will the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God) shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears [to hear] be listening, and let him consider and perceive and understand by hearing. [Dan 12:3.] 44 The kingdom of heaven is like something precious buried in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field. 45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, 46 Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet which was cast into the sea and gathered in fish of every sort. 48 When it was full, men dragged it up on the beach, and sat down and sorted out the good fish into baskets, but the worthless ones they threw away. 49 So it will be at the close and consummation of the age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God) 50 And cast them [the wicked] into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and wailing and grinding of teeth. 51 Have you understood all these things [parables] taken together? They said to Him, Yes, Lord. AMP

At the end of the age, the angels will reap the world, separating the weeds who are the children of the devil, and the children of God.  The weeds will go into the fire, which is the lake of fire, at the end of the age before the new heaven and new earth.  If they understood all of this, we should also understand it too.  Consider now what Matthew reports Jesus as saying regarding the fire.  There will be weeping and wailing and grinding of teeth; this fire is an everlasting fire that does not consume individuals, so they live a tortured existence in the fire. Just as there are compartments to the grave and hell, and there is consciousness there, there is consciousness in this fire that causes people anguish, forever.

Matt 18:7-11 Woe to the world for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell (Gehenna) of fire. 10 Beware that you do not despise or feel scornful toward or think little of one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always are in the presence of and look upon the face of My Father Who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of man came to save [from the penalty of eternal death] that which was lost. AMP

We’ve looked at this saying of Jesus a few times now, and again the point is to avoid the everlasting fire by drastic measures if necessary. In the next parable Jesus spoke of regarding fire, we see judgment for those who did not behave kindly towards others. People are sent to the same place as the devil and his angels.  

Matt 25:40-46 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. [Prov 19:17.] 41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care. 44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? 45 And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me. [Prov 14:31; 17:5.] 46 Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life. [Dan 12:2.] AMP

Clearly, the choice is being given to everyone, eternal life or eternal fire.  John reiterates the idea of fruitless branches being burned.

John 15:5-6 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. AMP

One day our works will be tried by fire. Paul helps our understanding on how we are judged for rewards.  If anything we do endures the fire and does not burn, we are rewarded.

1 Cor 3:10-15 According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 12 But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. 14 If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward. 15 But if any person's work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. [Job 23:10.] AMP

If anyone’s work is burned up he still at least has eternal life, just no rewards.  Think back now to the Pharisees and Sadducees, will their works burn up? That is a key point for any religious leader; is the material you use wood or silver.  Is there a religious practice, not supported by scripture, which you encourage others to follow?  Sometimes we think just because a group looks spiritual they are doing things correctly.  However, if their beliefs and practices do not line up with the Bible, they may simply be hay.  The best thing for us to do is to avoid things that are hay, wood, and stubble, and instead pursue things like gold, silver, and bronze. 

At the end of the age, the devil will be thrown into the lake of fire along with the beast and false prophet. They will be tormented day and night; again, this is a fire that does not consume but tortures those in it.

Rev 20:10 Then the devil who had led them astray [deceiving and seducing them] was hurled into the fiery lake of burning brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (through the ages of the ages). AMP

Forever is forever.  That means that every moment of existence is torture.  There is no hope of change.

Rev 20:14 Then death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. AMP

Death and Hades are then thrown into the lake of fire.  By this time, all people are standing for judgment before the throne.  Death and Hell are abolished into the lake of fire, so that is not an option for people to go to any longer.

Rev 20:15 And if anyone's [name] was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire. AMP

This is the finality of the end of the age, the final reaping of the world, the separating of the wheat and the chaff.  Everyone has a chance to choose. 

Rev 21:8 But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed) — [all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. [Isa 30:33.] AMP


Here is the irrevocability of the human existence.  After this time, humans will either be changed, having new bodies and inhabit the new heaven or new earth, or be put into the lake of fire. It is difficult to think about a fire that torments but does not consume, because it is difficult to think more than three dimensionally.  Jesus, in his resurrected body gave us clues to 11 dimensions of existence; therefore we have to stretch our thinking to understand that eternal fire is different than the typical fire that burns and destroys and consumes things.  This is a fire that causes weeping, wailing, and grinding of teeth. While fires burn on the earth causing damage and destruction, their harm is reversible as far as property is concerned. We can rebuild, material possessions can be replaced.  But people will go through a baptism of fire. The end result is a non-consuming fire for eternity, or eternal life, we get to choose.